Magic
wielding a primal stone and Claudia summoning dark magic.]] Magic is the mysterious force that exists within the world of ''The Dragon Prince''. It exists everywhere in the lands of Xadia. All magical creatures in Xadia are born connected to one of the six Primal Sources of magic, and as such, have certain powers and abilities based on their respective Primal Source. Humans are not born with the ability to do magic, but there are some who can cast spells and control a Primal Source by using a magical artifact such as a Primal Stone.Creator Q&A However, Callum is the first known human who has been able to do magic other than dark magic without the use of a magical artifact, for he connected with the Sky arcanum. Other humans, rather than directly harnessing the Primal Sources, choose to rely on the magical energy contained within magical creatures, extracting it for dark magic. Mages Mages, also known as wizards, are individuals who can harness and command the force of magic. The Primal Source they draw from determines the spells they can cast. Elven mages such as the Moonshadow Elf mage Lujanne can cast spells without the need for a magical artifact such as a Primal Stone. Conversely, human mages usually must use a magical artifact to cast primal magic, as evident by Callum's use of a Sky Primal Stone before he connected to the Sky arcanum. Some mages, rather than directly drawing upon the Primal Sources, choose to absorb the magical energy from magical creatures and use it for dark magic. Mages can have varying degrees of power, but the most powerful mages are called Archmages. A notable Archmage is Aaravos, a Startouch Elf. Primal Sources All magic in the world draws upon the six Primal Sources. These are enormous, powerful entities of the natural world: the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Earth, the Sky, and the Ocean. A mage can draw upon these Sources to cast different spells; for example, drawing from the Sky's primal magic allows a mage to cast wind and thunderstorm spells. The magical creatures of Xadia are all connected to a Primal Source, and as such, their powers and abilities reflect that source.TDP Official Website Each magical creature in Xadia possesses a connection with their source, called an arcanum. This is described by Lujanne as "the secret of the Primal, or its meaning." The Sky Sky magic draws on the vast sky, the energy and movement of the winds, and the power of thunderstorms. This source is at its strongest during a thunderstorm, and its arcanum requires focus and deep breaths. Creatures connected to the Sky Primal, like Skywing Elves, are typically quick and clever and prize the freedom to make their own choices in life. For a mage to use sky magic without an magical artifact like a Primal Stone, the mage must tap into a nearby abundance of the Primal Source, such as a thunderstorm or a strong breeze. The Stars Star magic is, as of now, little understood. It draws on the vast and timeless power of the cosmos, and involves divination, cosmic vision, and seeing into the "beyond". Creatures connected to the Stars, like Startouch Elves, are extremely uncommon and rarely seen. The Ocean Ocean magic draws on the depth of the oceans and tides, and its power connects through rivers and lakes that flow back to it. This source is strongest at high tide. Ocean mages can reflect the nature of their home: a swamp mage and a river mage would look different, though they both connect to the same Primal Source. Ocean-connected creatures often forge strong connections to others, and can have hidden depths. The Earth Earth magic draws on the power and energy within the land itself. Earth magic comes from two major domains: the stone, minerals, crystals, and gems of the land, and the flora and fauna of the living world. Creatures connected to the Earth, like Earthblood Elves, are patient, sometimes stubborn, and care deeply about the history and balance of the natural world. The Sun Sun magic draws from the heat and energy of the Sun. Sun magic has a dual nature: it can conjure spells of light, growth, nurturing and transformation — or it can call upon fire, heat, and destruction. Sun-connected creatures, like Sunfire Elves, are often intense and charismatic and make natural leaders. The Moon Moon magic draws on the spirit and energy of the Moon, creating illusions, concealment spells, and connections with spirits. This source is strongest during a full moon, and its arcanum is that appearances are the truth of reality. The Moon is cyclical in its strength, relating directly to lunar phases. Moon Primal creatures, like Moonshadow Elves, can be private and secretive, and are keenly aware of the power of appearances. Dark Magic Dark magic does not directly connect to the Primal Sources. Instead, it draws upon the energy within magical creatures themselves to fuel spells. Dark magic spells also use some of the essence of the mage who casts them, taking a physical toll on the mage. Dark magic spells are normally cast through incantations in which the mage speaks backward. When a mage uses dark magic, some of the magic that courses through them is retained within their body. This allows them to cast some dark magic spells without the need for incantations. Dark magic skills cannot be inherited, but they can be taught to others. Dark magic, however, can be dangerous if not taught correctly. Inexperience with dark magic could cause great damage to the body, draining the user's energy and giving him terrifying hallucinations and nightmares. Invented by a human mage named Ziard, the ease and potency of dark magic caused humans to hunt and poach magical creatures to harvest their magic energy. Horrified by the practice, the elves and the dragons divided the continent and drove all humans west out of Xadia. Dark magic is not wholly accepted by other humans either. Individuals, like King Harrow and Soren, had for the most part tolerated Viren's extensive use of practicing it, as well as Claudia's but to a lesser extent. Since remnants of dark magic stays within the person, it's possible for a mage or any person to have it be extracted out of them. And yet, according to Janai, depending on how much a mage uses the dark arts and goes through the purification process there will be a high chance the person won't be able to survive the extraction as she said with Viren.Hearts of Cinder Spells Casting Spells The act of casting a spell is done by harnessing the energy of a Primal Source or a magical creature and then directing that energy toward accomplishing a particular goal, often through the use of runes or incantations. Primal spells are typically cast through Ancient Draconic incantations and runes, whereas dark magic spells are often cast through incantations in which the mage speaks backward. Rayla has elaborated on the process of casting Primal spells; she explained to Callum after he cast [[Magic|'Aspiro']] that in order to cast Primal spells, he would require a storm or at least a strong breeze if he did not have the Primal Stone, implying that simply having access to a Primal Source is not enough; a mage must harness a certain amount of Primal energy to cast a spell. Known Spells Moon Magic Sky Magic Sun Magic Dark Magic Magical Artifacts Artifacts are often used to harness certain magical properties or abilities and conduct or control various sources of magic or cast spells. Artifacts are mysterious and strange, and not much is known about them. Magical artifacts are diverse and varied. *'Assassin's Bindings:' Ribbon-like objects used by Moonshadow Elves in their missions. They were one or two of these on their bodies depending on how many targets they must kill. If the target isn't killed, the binding will get tighter and tighter over time, constricting blood flow and eventually severing the body part. Once the target is killed, the binding releases itself and turns red; it's then called a blood ribbon. *'Primal Stones:' Primal Stones are powerful artifacts that act as conduits to Primal Sources even when an abundance of the source itself is not immediately available. They give a mage access to Primal energy anywhere, anytime: sun magic in darkness, Earth magic at sea, and Moon magic during the day. They are also the only means by which a human not connected to an arcanum can use primal magic. But Primal Stones are incredibly rare; only master mages can craft them, and the crafting rituals themselves have largely been lost to time. *'Magic Gems:' These rare gems contain primal magic, and they can be crushed to cast primal spells. For instance, Runaan uses a Moon Opal to cast a moon primal spell of invisibility in Chapter One, and a Fire Ruby can be crushed to cast a sun primal spell that creates a fireball. *'Key of Aaravos:' A magical dice-like cube with runes that dictate the six Primal Sources on all sides. When in the presence of a magical creature or Primal Source, its respective rune glows. It originally belonged to Aaravos, came into the possession of a female ancestor of Harrow, and was passed down in Harrow's family for generations.The Dragon Prince Wondercon 2019 Interview with the Creators! - 1:57. YouTube. According to him, legends claim that it unlocks something of great power in Xadia.Book 2, Chapter 6: "Heart of a Titan" *'Sunforged Equipment:' Sunfire Elves can create equipment that stay as hot as when they were forged for hundreds of years. The sheath they are kept in is inscribed with runes to protect the wielder from the extreme heat. *'Magic Mirror:' A mirror that Viren stole from the lair of the dragon monarchs. It has mysterious runes inscribed on the frame. Runaan was adamant about keeping its purpose a secret from Viren, though he did say that it is “something worse than death”. It is eventually revealed that Aaravos, an elven Archmage, is trapped in the mirror. *'Shadow Hawks:' Magic arrows that transform into smoky hawks when shot. They transform when given the name of where they are going in Draconic speech. An example is Runaan sending one to the Dragon Queen Zubeia ("Regina draconis") to let her know their mission was complete. *'Staffs:' Staffs can be used in casting spells. Not much is known about them other than that they are often wielded by mages. References }} Navigation Category:Xadia Category:World Category:A to Z